quickquiz

By Gary R. Gruber

NOV

Brain Teasers
This 11-question challenge, developed by Gary R. Gruber, the author of more than 30 test-prep books (drgarygruber.com), is designed to test your problemsolving skills. There is no time limit for questions 2–11. Just remember: Creative people look outside the realm of normal thinking to solve problems.
1. Solve the following in 10 seconds without a calculator

and without multiplying 35 x 65 and 34 x 66: Which is greater— 35 x 65 or 34 x 66 ?
2. Think of a two-digit number. Add the digits. Subtract the

7. If some Blips are Plips and some Plips are Glips, then some Blips are certainly Glips.

? ?? ? ? ? ? ??

(A) is true (B) is false (C) can be true or false
8. Matt is the 50th fastest and the 50th slowest runner in his

result from the original number. Which one or ones of the following numbers could not be your final result? (A) 32 (B) 33 (C) 34 (D) 35 (E) 36
3. Name three words that end in “dous.” 4. The letters meanyrg can be arranged to spell the name of:

school. Assuming no two runners are the same speed, how many runners are in Matt’s school? (A) 50 (B) 51 (C) 99 (D) 100 (E) 101
9. Given that Peter is taller than Nancy and Dan is shorter than Peter, which of the following can be proved true:

(A) an animal (B) a state (C) an ocean (D) a country
5. Three messages received from outer space were translated.

message: translation: i. avion balcon sondor “serious spaceship fumes” ii. mayar pulgar avion “serious atmosphere particles” iii. balcon roctos vivand “dangerous liquid fumes” What does the word sondor mean? (A) liquid (B) fumes (C) atmosphere (D) spaceship (E) particles
6. If everyone working at a car wash works at the same speed and eight people can wash 50 cars in 60 hours, then four people can wash 100 cars in how many

(A) Dan is taller than Nancy. (B) Dan is shorter than Nancy. (C) Dan is as tall as Nancy. (D) None of the above.
For

10. Together, Harry and Sam caught 24 fish. Harry caught

three times as many fish as Sam. How many fish did Harry catch? (A) 12 (B) 14 (C) 16 (D) 18 (E) 20
11. Two runners start at the same point facing in opposite

m o r e i n f o r m at i o n

hours? (A) 30 (B) 60 (C) 120 (D) 240 (E) 360

directions. Each runner then runs in a straight line for three miles, takes a right turn, runs in a straight line for another four miles, and stops. What is the distance in miles between the two runners? (A) 5 (B) 8 (C) 10 (D) 12 (E) 14